Title: Over The Next Horizon
Author: Karen
Email: karen@klewis91.fsnet.co.uk
Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be. Just the story I'm afraid.
Feedback: Yes please.
Pairing: A/C, W/S, Fr/Gu,
Timeline: After season six
Spoilers: Seasons 5/6, Angel 2/3
Archiving: If you want it take it just tell me where it ends up.
Synopsis: Cordelia, Fred and Willow are on the run and have just been
reluctantly joined by Lindsey. Angel, Gunn, Lorne and Connor are still in
LA and have discovered there's more to the girls' disappearance than meets
the eye and have informed the Scoobies. Everyone is angry and annoyed but
most of all Spike, he's still pink. Oh, and Connor brought Wes to the hotel
to help get the girls back and Angel threw him through a window. I think
that's it.
Rating: Overall an R I think?
Summary: Humour, Angst, Romance and lots of bloody bits of other people's
bodies if Spike gets his way. (Let's face it he will. Who could refuse
that man anything?)
Dedications: As always to Jen, whose hard work and patience makes this so much easier for you guys to read and understand. Mel and Ina, who keep the feedback a comin' and keep making me laugh. And Ianthe, Vidya, Nage and aptomec(-?) who are big with the feedback and incredibly patient when I'm off on yet another jaunt round the Buffyverse and not finishing this fic. Thanks guys!
Part 6a.
Sunnydale.
"Toth"
Buffy turned to Spike
"He called you a Toth. It means like moron or something." "Oi!"
Giles lowered his glasses and glared at his Slayer
"Buffy that joke wasn't funny the first time, kindly pay attention to the matter in hand."
The small blonde grinned unrepentantly
"Sorry, couldn't resist."
Giles sniffed and pushed his glasses up his nose ignoring Spike's outraged expression
"As I was saying, Toth. I take it you remember the demon that separated Xander two years ago?"
Anya nodded enthusiastically
"Yes, that was most exciting."
Five pairs of eyes swung round to stare at her and she shrugged unembarrassed
"What? I found it most enjoyable, although Giles was most unsympathetic when I requested delaying their reintegration. I believe he cost me a most entertaining night."
Buffy and Dawn sniggered as Giles and Xander blushed a fiery red and Spike looked disgusted
"Hey, demon-girl, just fed. Watch it with the visuals."
Xander glared at the blonde vampire
"Hey, I'm a nummy treat remember?"
Spike looked even more offended and groaned
"Do you mind?"
Giles slammed a heavy book against the wooden table
"I believe that's my line. When you've all quite finished can we please get back to the matter of three missing girls and the dangerous and bloodthirsty people pursuing them?"
A silence fell around the table and Giles continued
"Thank you. And I hardly think this is appropriate conversation when a young child is in the room."
Dawn grinned
"Don't mind me."
Giles gave her a withering look and cleared his throat pointedly
"Well, as I was saying, Toth succeeded in separating Xander with the aid of the P'rulajemina device. Xander suggested an idea to me earlier and I believe it has some merit. With certain modifications I believe we can use the device to cast a separation spell on a small group and allow the unknown curse to cling to the doubles allowing the original individuals to leave undetected and find Willow and the others."
Buffy's mouth fell open
"Xander thought of that?"
Xander nodded proudly
"All by my little Zeppo self."
Buffy exchanged an impressed look with Dawn and Anya
"Whoa, go Xan. Way to brainstorm."
She turned back to Giles and her voice hardened as she said seriously
"When do I leave?"
LA.
Connor took a deep breath and, for the second time in a day, knocked on a door he'd really rather never open. Unlike Wesley's, however, this one remained firmly shut. He bit his lip and looked along the corridor where Lorne nodded encouragingly and raised his hand to knock again
"Dad? It's me. Connor."
The silence stretched and Lorne grunted in annoyance at Angel's continuing stubbornness
"Sweetie, just go in."
Connor's eyes widened and he shook his head firmly. No way was he going in there. It had already taken everything he had to come up and knock in the first place, ignoring his father's obvious desire for alone time and busting in on him uninvited was not high on his to do list. He had turned and started back down the corridor towards Lorne when he heard Angel's low voice
"Come in."
Lorne gave the boy a thumbs up and a wide grin and then made tracks back downstairs and away from the angst fest. Connor watched him go and, for a moment, was half tempted to follow him, then he remembered he was The Destroyer and he didn't run from anything and reluctantly turned back towards Angel's room.
Angel was seated in his favourite chair staring down at a picture in his lap as Connor entered. His body was slumped in the chair and his entire posture screamed defeat and misery
"What is it?"
Connor winced and hovered by the door uncertain of how to proceed. Even when Angel had finally broken free of his watery tomb and set eyes on his son for the first time in three long months his voice had never sounded this cold or distant. The teenager edged closer into the room and said quietly
"I wanted to see how you were."
Angel shrugged
"Fine. I'll see you later."
Connor nodded and half turned away and then stopped and burst out
"You know this isn't easy for me either."
Angel looked up and eyed him disinterestedly
"Oh yeah? What?"
Connor waved his arms helplessly
"All this. You, this place, those people. I didn't choose this you know."
Angel shut his eyes and leaned his head back in exhaustion
"Yeah, well, that makes two of us."
Connor nearly growled in frustration
"Don't you want Cordelia back?"
Angel kept his eyes shut and shrugged
"You know, Connor I really don't know anymore."
Angel's son took a shocked step back and stared wordlessly at the being that had helped create him. Perfect face, good strong body, average hair..and a self-pity streak a mile wide that you could use for an extra freeway.
"What is the matter with you?"
Angel opened his eyes at the shout of frustration and watched as his cool, calm son lost it all over his bedroom floor
"You've sulked for a month that Cordelia left you and then when you find out that she's been forced in some way you stamp about growling and shouting and when I bring you someone who may be able to help us you try to kill him! You're arrogant and selfish and so self centred I'm amazed you can keep your balance long enough to walk across a room without falling over."
He gasped for breath and waved his arms wildly around him
"And look at this place. Four bare walls and a bed. This isn't a home, it's a cell. I lived for all those years in a wooden shack with nothing more than my father and some furs on the floor and I never felt like it wasn't home."
Angel sprang up and clenched his fists
"Don't call him that."
Connor raised his chin too angry to heed the warning tone in Angel's voice
"What? Father? He was, more than you'll ever be."
He ducked as Angel seized the chair he had been sitting on and threw it into the wall and roared
"I AM YOUR FATHER."
The boy straightened and looked the enraged vampire in the eye
"Then act like it."
Crummy Motel No 2.
Lindsey nodded his thanks as Fred released his wrists and grimaced as he rubbed the feeling back into them. The dark haired girl backed away from him and joined Cordelia and Willow on the bed to watch him warily. Lindsey tried a small smile
"This is nice."
Cordelia followed his gaze around the room. Damp walls, two sagging double beds, a ripped and scuffed chair and a virulent orange carpet.
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Bangkok Hilton
"It's all we can afford."
She caught Willow's eye and raised an eyebrow in query, the ex-witch looked at Lindsey for a moment and then nodded. Cordelia sighed
"Look, Ambiguity Guy, I want to try something on you. Will you let me?"
Lindsey looked at her apprehensively
"Try what?"
Cordy pushed herself to her feet with a sigh and walked slowly over and sank down beside him
"It's similar to Lorne's trick but more..."
Fred smiled as she trailed off and said brightly
"Showy?"
Cordy grinned and nodded
"Showy. That's it exactly."
She met Lindsey's eyes and he frowned as he realised how tired and worn she looked. Her skin had no glow, her hair hung limp and with ragged ends against her face and he traced a still healing gash along her collarbone with a finger. Cordelia flinched back and glared
"Watch it, Mr Feely."
Lindsey gave her a quick grin and eyed the slightly puffy skin around the cut
"Looks like it isn't healing that well. What happened?"
Cordelia folded her arms and said stubbornly
"I'm sorry that's your business because?"
The man shrugged unconcerned, folded his own arms casually and leaned back against the slightly sticky wall
"It's not, just want to be able to let know Lorne know what happened when you drop dead of blood poisoning."
Cordelia's eyes narrowed and her mouth opened but fortunately Willow got in first
"There will be no telling of anyone anything is that clear?"
Lindsey turned and looked at the slender red head and shrugged noncommittally causing Willow's resolve face to drop down like a steel trap
"I said, there will be no telling anyone of anything is that clear?"
Lindsey met her resolve face with one of his own
"I'm here for Lorne..."
Fred opened her mouth and said hesitantly
"And y'all wanna keep him alive, right?"
The dark haired man looked startled at the soft question
"What? What's that supposed to mean?"
Cordelia glared at Fred
"Nothing. She didn't mean anything." "Like hell, what's all this got to do with Lorne?"
The three girls were silent for a moment and then Cordelia said firmly
"Let me do my thing and then, if you're on the level, we'll tell you everything."
Willow gasped
"Cor, no!"
The Seer ignored her and kept her eyes on Lindsey's face
"Well?"
He nodded and said firmly
"Do it."
Sunnydale.
"Why can't I go?"
Spike gritted his teeth as the Slayer's incessant whining and wondered not for the first time what his demon had ever seen in her. Apart from the shining blonde hair, lithe body and ability to fuck like a rabbit of course. He blinked as everyone stared at him and then frowned
"Did I just say that out loud?"
Buffy scowled at him and said tightly
"Yes."
Spike grinned and said unrepentantly
"Ooops."
Buffy opened her mouth and then abruptly swung back to Giles
"Why can't I go? I'm the obvious choice."
Giles forced his mind away from Spike's remark and focused on his Slayer
"Buffy, you are the Chosen One. One as in the singular and we don't have a spare.." "But we will, that's the crux of the plan remember? Having a spare!"
He blinked as an entirely inappropriate image rose in his mind. Two Buffys and...
Like a rabbit? Good Lord, really?
He shook his head and focused on the protector of the world and the rather adorable pout she had on her face
"Buffy, when we use the spell the double will only have the curse and the original's form not any of their intelligence or personality. We can, perhaps, add a modicum of fighting ability but that's all, we can't have a sub standard Slayer running around the Hellmouth for any length of time."
His voice gentled and he gave her a small smile
"It didn't exactly work last time."
Buffy blinked and then slumped back into her chair in defeat
"Ok, fine, but who is going to go? Gunn and Angel have to, obviously, but we can't just leave them to go their merry slayin' way without a Scoob to back them up."
Xander raised his hand slowly
"I'll go."
Giles shook his head
"No Xander, it's out of the question, I'm sorry."
The brunette frowned and eyed Giles unhappily
"I'm sorry what? Will's my best bud, I'm going, end of story."
Giles folded his arms and said firmly
"No, you are not. You are needed here and we have no idea how long this will take. You have your job, your apartment and your commitment to Buffy to consider. We simply cannot spare you."
The younger man looked torn between surprised gratification at his surrogate father's words and anger at his refusal
"G-man, it's not your decision to make..."
Spike shut his eyes as the table erupted into a fierce argument and, not for the first time, cursed the decision ever to come to this crappy little town. He frowned and reached a decision and thumped his hand down on the table
"I'll bloody do it."
He looked at the stunned faces around him and then lingered for a moment on Dawn's. The young girl stood frozen in surprise and then slowly a wide, thankful grin stole across her face, Spike nodded in acknowledgement and repeated himself firmly
"I'll do it."
LA.
Angel stood and watched the hunched figure that sat on the bench in the courtyard for a few minutes. This wasn't the Wesley he remembered. His Wesley was, ok not the most coordinated guy in the world, but self-assured and confident in his abilities and his place in the world. This Wesley was a sad lost figure who started at shadows and watched others with an uneasy eye as though waiting for the next blow to fall.
The vampire stepped out into the moonlight and cleared his throat and watched his former friend flinch so hard he fell off his uneasy perch on the bench. Angel waited until two suspicious eyes came up over the wooden surface and then said firmly
"We need to talk."
The eyes widened and then Wesley nodded his head briefly, wincing in pain and embarrassment as his nose bounced off the seat. Angel nodded and walked down the steps towards him and in the hotel lobby Gunn grinned admiringly at Connor
"Kid, you got game."
Connor gave a somewhat confused smile and nodded back
"Thanks."
I think.
Crummy Motel No 2.
Lindsey stared at the floor with his head in his hands and tried to get his head round the last thirty minutes. Cordelia glowing, her reading of him and the soothing of his troubled soul and then for the grand finale the revelations on why he couldn't go to Lorne and call in the cavalry.
Goddamn you, Lilah!
He raised his head and looked at the three girls on the opposite bed with new respect and admiration
"And you've been running ever since?"
Cordelia looked offended and said snootily
"Not running, more...exploring our options."
Lindsey grinned at her tone and then, after a few seconds, was rewarded with a reluctant smile from the Seer
"I see. Well, where do I start?" "What do you mean?"
Lindsey stood and brushed down his pants and then stretched his tired muscles
"If you think I've chased across the country, dumped my job, gotten tied up, interrogated and then driven for two hours in the trunk of my own car to end up in a motel I wouldn't stable a horse in just to throw in the towel and let Lilah win you've got another think coming."
Willow looked confused
"What are you saying?"
Lindsey shook his head and screwed up his face in mock-horror
"Against my better judgement I want to help and.."
He looked pained and swallowed before saying through gritted teeth
"I want to help save Angel."
Cordelia snorted
"No you don't."
Lindsey grinned as Willow and Fred giggled into their hands and shrugged
"Ok, I don't. But I do want to help save Lorne and the rest and I really think you could use another pair of hands on your side."
Fred looked hopefully at her two friends and then laughed with relief when they nodded and Cordelia stood to offer him her hand
"Ok, welcome to Hell. Screw up or betray us and I'll smack your teeth so far down your throat you'll have to stick a toothbrush up your ass to clean them."
Lindsey grinned and took her smaller hand in his, saying dryly
"I'm looking forward to working with you too, Cordy."
End Part 6a
Dedications: As always to Jen, whose hard work and patience makes this so much easier for you guys to read and understand. Mel and Ina, who keep the feedback a comin' and keep making me laugh. And Ianthe, Vidya, Nage and aptomec(-?) who are big with the feedback and incredibly patient when I'm off on yet another jaunt round the Buffyverse and not finishing this fic. Thanks guys!
Part 6a.
Sunnydale.
"Toth"
Buffy turned to Spike
"He called you a Toth. It means like moron or something." "Oi!"
Giles lowered his glasses and glared at his Slayer
"Buffy that joke wasn't funny the first time, kindly pay attention to the matter in hand."
The small blonde grinned unrepentantly
"Sorry, couldn't resist."
Giles sniffed and pushed his glasses up his nose ignoring Spike's outraged expression
"As I was saying, Toth. I take it you remember the demon that separated Xander two years ago?"
Anya nodded enthusiastically
"Yes, that was most exciting."
Five pairs of eyes swung round to stare at her and she shrugged unembarrassed
"What? I found it most enjoyable, although Giles was most unsympathetic when I requested delaying their reintegration. I believe he cost me a most entertaining night."
Buffy and Dawn sniggered as Giles and Xander blushed a fiery red and Spike looked disgusted
"Hey, demon-girl, just fed. Watch it with the visuals."
Xander glared at the blonde vampire
"Hey, I'm a nummy treat remember?"
Spike looked even more offended and groaned
"Do you mind?"
Giles slammed a heavy book against the wooden table
"I believe that's my line. When you've all quite finished can we please get back to the matter of three missing girls and the dangerous and bloodthirsty people pursuing them?"
A silence fell around the table and Giles continued
"Thank you. And I hardly think this is appropriate conversation when a young child is in the room."
Dawn grinned
"Don't mind me."
Giles gave her a withering look and cleared his throat pointedly
"Well, as I was saying, Toth succeeded in separating Xander with the aid of the P'rulajemina device. Xander suggested an idea to me earlier and I believe it has some merit. With certain modifications I believe we can use the device to cast a separation spell on a small group and allow the unknown curse to cling to the doubles allowing the original individuals to leave undetected and find Willow and the others."
Buffy's mouth fell open
"Xander thought of that?"
Xander nodded proudly
"All by my little Zeppo self."
Buffy exchanged an impressed look with Dawn and Anya
"Whoa, go Xan. Way to brainstorm."
She turned back to Giles and her voice hardened as she said seriously
"When do I leave?"
LA.
Connor took a deep breath and, for the second time in a day, knocked on a door he'd really rather never open. Unlike Wesley's, however, this one remained firmly shut. He bit his lip and looked along the corridor where Lorne nodded encouragingly and raised his hand to knock again
"Dad? It's me. Connor."
The silence stretched and Lorne grunted in annoyance at Angel's continuing stubbornness
"Sweetie, just go in."
Connor's eyes widened and he shook his head firmly. No way was he going in there. It had already taken everything he had to come up and knock in the first place, ignoring his father's obvious desire for alone time and busting in on him uninvited was not high on his to do list. He had turned and started back down the corridor towards Lorne when he heard Angel's low voice
"Come in."
Lorne gave the boy a thumbs up and a wide grin and then made tracks back downstairs and away from the angst fest. Connor watched him go and, for a moment, was half tempted to follow him, then he remembered he was The Destroyer and he didn't run from anything and reluctantly turned back towards Angel's room.
Angel was seated in his favourite chair staring down at a picture in his lap as Connor entered. His body was slumped in the chair and his entire posture screamed defeat and misery
"What is it?"
Connor winced and hovered by the door uncertain of how to proceed. Even when Angel had finally broken free of his watery tomb and set eyes on his son for the first time in three long months his voice had never sounded this cold or distant. The teenager edged closer into the room and said quietly
"I wanted to see how you were."
Angel shrugged
"Fine. I'll see you later."
Connor nodded and half turned away and then stopped and burst out
"You know this isn't easy for me either."
Angel looked up and eyed him disinterestedly
"Oh yeah? What?"
Connor waved his arms helplessly
"All this. You, this place, those people. I didn't choose this you know."
Angel shut his eyes and leaned his head back in exhaustion
"Yeah, well, that makes two of us."
Connor nearly growled in frustration
"Don't you want Cordelia back?"
Angel kept his eyes shut and shrugged
"You know, Connor I really don't know anymore."
Angel's son took a shocked step back and stared wordlessly at the being that had helped create him. Perfect face, good strong body, average hair..and a self-pity streak a mile wide that you could use for an extra freeway.
"What is the matter with you?"
Angel opened his eyes at the shout of frustration and watched as his cool, calm son lost it all over his bedroom floor
"You've sulked for a month that Cordelia left you and then when you find out that she's been forced in some way you stamp about growling and shouting and when I bring you someone who may be able to help us you try to kill him! You're arrogant and selfish and so self centred I'm amazed you can keep your balance long enough to walk across a room without falling over."
He gasped for breath and waved his arms wildly around him
"And look at this place. Four bare walls and a bed. This isn't a home, it's a cell. I lived for all those years in a wooden shack with nothing more than my father and some furs on the floor and I never felt like it wasn't home."
Angel sprang up and clenched his fists
"Don't call him that."
Connor raised his chin too angry to heed the warning tone in Angel's voice
"What? Father? He was, more than you'll ever be."
He ducked as Angel seized the chair he had been sitting on and threw it into the wall and roared
"I AM YOUR FATHER."
The boy straightened and looked the enraged vampire in the eye
"Then act like it."
Crummy Motel No 2.
Lindsey nodded his thanks as Fred released his wrists and grimaced as he rubbed the feeling back into them. The dark haired girl backed away from him and joined Cordelia and Willow on the bed to watch him warily. Lindsey tried a small smile
"This is nice."
Cordelia followed his gaze around the room. Damp walls, two sagging double beds, a ripped and scuffed chair and a virulent orange carpet.
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Bangkok Hilton
"It's all we can afford."
She caught Willow's eye and raised an eyebrow in query, the ex-witch looked at Lindsey for a moment and then nodded. Cordelia sighed
"Look, Ambiguity Guy, I want to try something on you. Will you let me?"
Lindsey looked at her apprehensively
"Try what?"
Cordy pushed herself to her feet with a sigh and walked slowly over and sank down beside him
"It's similar to Lorne's trick but more..."
Fred smiled as she trailed off and said brightly
"Showy?"
Cordy grinned and nodded
"Showy. That's it exactly."
She met Lindsey's eyes and he frowned as he realised how tired and worn she looked. Her skin had no glow, her hair hung limp and with ragged ends against her face and he traced a still healing gash along her collarbone with a finger. Cordelia flinched back and glared
"Watch it, Mr Feely."
Lindsey gave her a quick grin and eyed the slightly puffy skin around the cut
"Looks like it isn't healing that well. What happened?"
Cordelia folded her arms and said stubbornly
"I'm sorry that's your business because?"
The man shrugged unconcerned, folded his own arms casually and leaned back against the slightly sticky wall
"It's not, just want to be able to let know Lorne know what happened when you drop dead of blood poisoning."
Cordelia's eyes narrowed and her mouth opened but fortunately Willow got in first
"There will be no telling of anyone anything is that clear?"
Lindsey turned and looked at the slender red head and shrugged noncommittally causing Willow's resolve face to drop down like a steel trap
"I said, there will be no telling anyone of anything is that clear?"
Lindsey met her resolve face with one of his own
"I'm here for Lorne..."
Fred opened her mouth and said hesitantly
"And y'all wanna keep him alive, right?"
The dark haired man looked startled at the soft question
"What? What's that supposed to mean?"
Cordelia glared at Fred
"Nothing. She didn't mean anything." "Like hell, what's all this got to do with Lorne?"
The three girls were silent for a moment and then Cordelia said firmly
"Let me do my thing and then, if you're on the level, we'll tell you everything."
Willow gasped
"Cor, no!"
The Seer ignored her and kept her eyes on Lindsey's face
"Well?"
He nodded and said firmly
"Do it."
Sunnydale.
"Why can't I go?"
Spike gritted his teeth as the Slayer's incessant whining and wondered not for the first time what his demon had ever seen in her. Apart from the shining blonde hair, lithe body and ability to fuck like a rabbit of course. He blinked as everyone stared at him and then frowned
"Did I just say that out loud?"
Buffy scowled at him and said tightly
"Yes."
Spike grinned and said unrepentantly
"Ooops."
Buffy opened her mouth and then abruptly swung back to Giles
"Why can't I go? I'm the obvious choice."
Giles forced his mind away from Spike's remark and focused on his Slayer
"Buffy, you are the Chosen One. One as in the singular and we don't have a spare.." "But we will, that's the crux of the plan remember? Having a spare!"
He blinked as an entirely inappropriate image rose in his mind. Two Buffys and...
Like a rabbit? Good Lord, really?
He shook his head and focused on the protector of the world and the rather adorable pout she had on her face
"Buffy, when we use the spell the double will only have the curse and the original's form not any of their intelligence or personality. We can, perhaps, add a modicum of fighting ability but that's all, we can't have a sub standard Slayer running around the Hellmouth for any length of time."
His voice gentled and he gave her a small smile
"It didn't exactly work last time."
Buffy blinked and then slumped back into her chair in defeat
"Ok, fine, but who is going to go? Gunn and Angel have to, obviously, but we can't just leave them to go their merry slayin' way without a Scoob to back them up."
Xander raised his hand slowly
"I'll go."
Giles shook his head
"No Xander, it's out of the question, I'm sorry."
The brunette frowned and eyed Giles unhappily
"I'm sorry what? Will's my best bud, I'm going, end of story."
Giles folded his arms and said firmly
"No, you are not. You are needed here and we have no idea how long this will take. You have your job, your apartment and your commitment to Buffy to consider. We simply cannot spare you."
The younger man looked torn between surprised gratification at his surrogate father's words and anger at his refusal
"G-man, it's not your decision to make..."
Spike shut his eyes as the table erupted into a fierce argument and, not for the first time, cursed the decision ever to come to this crappy little town. He frowned and reached a decision and thumped his hand down on the table
"I'll bloody do it."
He looked at the stunned faces around him and then lingered for a moment on Dawn's. The young girl stood frozen in surprise and then slowly a wide, thankful grin stole across her face, Spike nodded in acknowledgement and repeated himself firmly
"I'll do it."
LA.
Angel stood and watched the hunched figure that sat on the bench in the courtyard for a few minutes. This wasn't the Wesley he remembered. His Wesley was, ok not the most coordinated guy in the world, but self-assured and confident in his abilities and his place in the world. This Wesley was a sad lost figure who started at shadows and watched others with an uneasy eye as though waiting for the next blow to fall.
The vampire stepped out into the moonlight and cleared his throat and watched his former friend flinch so hard he fell off his uneasy perch on the bench. Angel waited until two suspicious eyes came up over the wooden surface and then said firmly
"We need to talk."
The eyes widened and then Wesley nodded his head briefly, wincing in pain and embarrassment as his nose bounced off the seat. Angel nodded and walked down the steps towards him and in the hotel lobby Gunn grinned admiringly at Connor
"Kid, you got game."
Connor gave a somewhat confused smile and nodded back
"Thanks."
I think.
Crummy Motel No 2.
Lindsey stared at the floor with his head in his hands and tried to get his head round the last thirty minutes. Cordelia glowing, her reading of him and the soothing of his troubled soul and then for the grand finale the revelations on why he couldn't go to Lorne and call in the cavalry.
Goddamn you, Lilah!
He raised his head and looked at the three girls on the opposite bed with new respect and admiration
"And you've been running ever since?"
Cordelia looked offended and said snootily
"Not running, more...exploring our options."
Lindsey grinned at her tone and then, after a few seconds, was rewarded with a reluctant smile from the Seer
"I see. Well, where do I start?" "What do you mean?"
Lindsey stood and brushed down his pants and then stretched his tired muscles
"If you think I've chased across the country, dumped my job, gotten tied up, interrogated and then driven for two hours in the trunk of my own car to end up in a motel I wouldn't stable a horse in just to throw in the towel and let Lilah win you've got another think coming."
Willow looked confused
"What are you saying?"
Lindsey shook his head and screwed up his face in mock-horror
"Against my better judgement I want to help and.."
He looked pained and swallowed before saying through gritted teeth
"I want to help save Angel."
Cordelia snorted
"No you don't."
Lindsey grinned as Willow and Fred giggled into their hands and shrugged
"Ok, I don't. But I do want to help save Lorne and the rest and I really think you could use another pair of hands on your side."
Fred looked hopefully at her two friends and then laughed with relief when they nodded and Cordelia stood to offer him her hand
"Ok, welcome to Hell. Screw up or betray us and I'll smack your teeth so far down your throat you'll have to stick a toothbrush up your ass to clean them."
Lindsey grinned and took her smaller hand in his, saying dryly
"I'm looking forward to working with you too, Cordy."
End Part 6a